Last updated: September 29, 2026 · By: Admission Zone counselling team · Source: official NBEMS result notice
The NEET PG 2026 cut off is 262 marks out of 720 (50th percentile) for General/EWS candidates, 244 marks (45th percentile) for General-PwBD, and 226 marks (40th percentile) for SC/ST/OBC including PwBD. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) declared the cut off along with the NEET PG 2026 result on September 24, 2026, on natboard.edu.in. Candidates who score at or above their category cut off are qualified and eligible for NEET PG 2026 counselling.
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NEET PG Cut Off 2026: Key Takeaways
- General/EWS: 262 marks (50th percentile)
- General-PwBD: 244 marks (45th percentile)
- SC/ST/OBC (including PwBD): 226 marks (40th percentile)
- Total marks: 720 (180 questions × 4 marks), down from 800 in 2025
- Result date: September 24, 2026 · Highest score (AIR 1): 641/720
- Scorecard: downloadable from October 1, 2026, valid for six months
- Next step: counselling by MCC for All India Quota and by state authorities for state quota seats
NEET PG 2026 Cut Off: Category-Wise Marks and Percentile
NBEMS announces the NEET PG qualifying cut off as a percentile for each category and publishes the equivalent score. The official NEET PG 2026 qualifying cut off is:
| Category | Qualifying Percentile | Cut Off Score (out of 720) |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 50th percentile | 262 |
| General – PwBD | 45th percentile | 244 |
| SC / ST / OBC (including PwBD) | 40th percentile | 226 |
A candidate who scores 262 or more (General/EWS), 244 or more (General-PwBD) or 226 or more (SC/ST/OBC) is declared qualified. Qualifying only makes you eligible to register for counselling; the seat you get depends on your rank, category, choices and seat availability.
NEET PG 2026 Result Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) |
| Exam date | August 30, 2026 (single shift) |
| Re-exam | September 5, 2026 in Jaipur, for candidates affected by a power failure on August 30 |
| Candidates appeared | 2,63,544 (August 30) + 2,416 (September 5 re-exam) |
| Exam pattern | 180 questions, 720 marks; +4 for correct, −1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted |
| Result declared | September 24, 2026 on natboard.edu.in |
| Highest score (AIR 1) | 641 out of 720 |
| Candidates scoring 600+ | 114 |
| Candidates scoring 500+ | 12,111 |
| Candidates scoring 450+ | 29,130 |
| Scorecard | From October 1, 2026; valid for six months |
| Answer key and responses | Question IDs, correct answers and recorded responses through applicant login on or after October 1, 2026 |
What Is the NEET PG Qualifying Cut Off?
The NEET PG qualifying cut off is the minimum percentile a candidate must reach to be declared “qualified” in NEET PG and become eligible for MD, MS, PG Diploma and DNB admissions through counselling. It is different from the admission (closing) cut off.
| Point | Qualifying Cut Off | Admission (Closing) Cut Off |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | NBEMS, with MoHFW/NMC | Seat demand during counselling |
| Expressed as | Percentile and equivalent marks | Closing rank for a college and branch |
| What it tells you | Whether you can join counselling | Whether you can get a specific seat |
| Changes by | Category | College, branch, quota, round and category |
For closing ranks by branch and college, see our guides on NEET PG rank vs branch and NEET PG marks vs rank.
How Is the NEET PG Cut Off Calculated?
The cut off is based on percentile, not a fixed score. A 50th percentile score means a candidate scored the same as or higher than about half of all candidates who took the exam. Because the score distribution changes every year, the marks that match a percentile also change every year, even when the percentile stays the same.
Factors that affect the NEET PG cut off marks:
- Exam difficulty: a tougher paper lowers scores across the board, so the marks at the 50th percentile fall.
- Number of candidates: more candidates change the score distribution used to set the percentile marks.
- Exam pattern: the 2026 paper has 720 marks instead of 800, so raw marks are lower than in earlier years.
- Seat vacancies: if many seats stay empty after counselling rounds, MoHFW can reduce the qualifying percentile.
- Reservation policy: separate percentiles apply to General/EWS, General-PwBD and SC/ST/OBC.
How Are Ties Broken in NEET PG 2026?
When two or more candidates have the same score, NBEMS decides the rank in this order:
- Candidate with fewer incorrect (negative) responses overall
- Fewer incorrect responses in Section A, then Section B, then Section C
- Higher aggregate marks in MBBS professional examinations
- Older candidate gets the higher rank
NEET PG Cut Off Trend: 2023 vs 2025 vs 2026
| Year | Total Marks | General/EWS (50th) | General-PwBD (45th) | SC/ST/OBC (40th) | Later Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 720 | 262 | 244 | 226 | None announced so far |
| 2025 | 800 | 276 | 255 | 235 | Reduced on January 13, 2026: 7th percentile (103) General/EWS, 5th (90) General-PwBD, 0th (−40) SC/ST/OBC |
| 2023 | 800 | 291 | 274 | 257 | Reduced to 0 percentile for all categories in September 2023 |
The qualifying percentile at the result stage has stayed at 50th/45th/40th every year. What changes is the marks equivalent and, in some years, a reduction during counselling to fill vacant seats.
Why Is the NEET PG 2026 Cut Off Lower Than 2025?
The General/EWS cut off fell from 276 in 2025 to 262 in 2026, but the two numbers are not directly comparable. NBEMS reduced the paper from 200 questions/800 marks to 180 questions/720 marks for 2026. As a share of total marks, 262/720 (36.4%) is slightly higher than 276/800 (34.5%). Always compare percentiles, not raw marks, across years. See the NEET PG marks distribution for the section-wise pattern.
Will the NEET PG 2026 Cut Off Be Reduced?
No reduction has been announced for NEET PG 2026 so far. NBEMS declared the result with the standard 50th/45th/40th percentiles. A reduction, if any, usually comes later in counselling, before Round 3 or a stray vacancy round, when many seats remain empty.
The 2025 Precedent
Through its January 13, 2026 notice, NBEMS reduced the NEET PG 2025 cut off to the 7th percentile (103 marks) for General/EWS, 5th percentile (90 marks) for General-PwBD and 0th percentile (−40 marks) for SC/ST/OBC to fill vacant seats before Round 3.
Supreme Court Review
That reduction was challenged in the Supreme Court. The Centre told the Court that an expert committee has been formed to examine the issue, and the Court has asked for an institutional mechanism to deal with recurring cut off questions. The outcome may shape whether and how the NEET PG 2026 cut off is relaxed.
What to watch: the number of vacant seats after MCC Round 2 and any MoHFW or NBEMS notice on natboard.edu.in.
NEET PG 2026 Branch-Wise Competition
The qualifying cut off is the same for every branch, but the rank needed for a seat varies a lot by branch:
| Competition Level | Branches |
|---|---|
| Very high | Radiodiagnosis, Dermatology, General Medicine, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics |
| Moderate | Obstetrics & Gynaecology, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, ENT |
| Lower | Community Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and other pre/para-clinical subjects |
AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER and NIMHANS do not admit through NEET PG; they use INI-CET. For branch-wise closing ranks, read NEET PG rank vs branch 2026 and MD General Medicine.
What Happens After You Qualify: NEET PG 2026 Counselling
- All India Quota (50%), deemed universities, central universities and DNB seats: counselling by MCC on mcc.nic.in. See All India NEET PG counselling.
- State quota (50%): counselling by each state or UT authority under its own rules. See state quota in NEET PG.
- Seats: check the NEET PG seat matrix 2026 and deemed university NEET PG cut off.
- Schedule: MCC has not announced the NEET PG 2026 counselling dates yet. Follow NEET PG latest news for updates.
What Should You Do After NEET PG Cutoff
- Download your scorecard from natboard.edu.in from October 1, 2026.
- Check your answer key and recorded responses in your applicant login.
- Estimate your chances with our NEET PG rank predictor and the college predictor below.
- Keep documents ready: NEET PG scorecard, MBBS marksheets and degree, internship certificate, NMC/SMC registration, ID proof and category or PwBD certificate if applicable.
- Register for MCC and state counselling as soon as the schedules are released. Check NEET PG registration and NEET PG eligibility.
Connect with Us
Need guidance for MDS, MD/MS, or NEET PG counselling? The Admission Zone expert team is here to help. Call us at 9205488482 / 7599994403 or connect with us on WhatsApp for personalized admission guidance and counselling support.
Conclusion
The NEET PG 2026 cut off is 262 marks for General/EWS, 244 for General-PwBD and 226 for SC/ST/OBC, out of 720. Because the exam moved to 720 marks, compare percentiles rather than raw marks with earlier years. If you have qualified, download your scorecard from October 1, 2026, prepare your documents and register for MCC and state counselling as soon as the schedules are released. A reduction is possible later only if seats remain vacant.
FAQs About NEET PG Cut Off 2026
The NEET PG 2026 cut off is 262 marks out of 720 (50th percentile) for General/EWS, 244 marks (45th percentile) for General-PwBD and 226 marks (40th percentile) for SC/ST/OBC including PwBD. NBEMS declared it with the result on September 24, 2026.
The NEET PG 2026 cut off for General and EWS candidates is 262 marks out of 720, which is the 50th percentile.
The NEET PG 2026 cut off for OBC, SC and ST candidates, including PwBD candidates of these categories, is 226 marks out of 720, which is the 40th percentile.
General-PwBD candidates need 244 marks out of 720 (45th percentile). SC, ST and OBC PwBD candidates need 226 marks (40th percentile).
NBEMS declared the NEET PG 2026 result and cut off on September 24, 2026, on natboard.edu.in. The exam was held on August 30, 2026, with a re-exam in Jaipur on September 5, 2026.
The AIR 1 candidate scored 641 out of 720 in NEET PG 2026. 114 candidates scored 600 or more, and 12,111 scored 500 or more.
The 2026 exam has 720 total marks instead of 800, so raw marks are lower. As a share of total marks, the 2026 General cut off (262/720, 36.4%) is slightly higher than 2025 (276/800, 34.5%). The qualifying percentile is the same.
No reduction has been announced yet. In 2025 the cut off was reduced during counselling on January 13, 2026, to fill vacant seats. A similar reduction in 2026 is possible only if many seats remain vacant after the early counselling rounds.
No. Qualifying only makes you eligible for counselling. Your seat depends on your rank, category, quota, choices filled and seat availability in each round.
The NEET PG 2026 scorecard can be downloaded from natboard.edu.in from October 1, 2026, and is valid for six months from the date of issue.
The NEET PG percentile shows how a candidate performed compared with all candidates who took the exam. A 50th percentile score means the candidate scored the same as or higher than about half of all candidates.
No. AIIMS, JIPMER, PGIMER Chandigarh and NIMHANS admit MD and MS students through INI-CET, not NEET PG.
Sources: NBEMS NEET PG 2026 result notice (natboard.edu.in), NBEMS notice on NEET PG 2025 percentile reduction dated January 13, 2026, and Medical Counselling Committee (mcc.nic.in).